


Salt Stains

by seaweednoodles



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-23 05:46:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3756703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaweednoodles/pseuds/seaweednoodles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set four years after the events of Life is Strange.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salt Stains

Chloe. It had been four years. Four years since she had reversed time and saved her best friend’s life and Arcadia Bay. After graduating, Max went away to college and never looked back. Never wanted to. But today she’d seen Chloe, somehow she’d found her even in sprawling masses of Chicago. Is found the right word? She hadn’t been looking for her. Would she ever get away from that life? 

She thought of the last time they were together. Her and Chloe. There was so much so fast. Feelings. Danger. Love. Fucking time travel. No matter how many times I rewound, we were always fucking falling in love with each other. She just kept dying, god, she was always dying. No matter what I did, no matter how many times I went back in time to save her. I finally learned the catalyst. Me. Saving her from Nathan Prescott the first time only ignited a series of different ways for Chloe Price to die. The universe was determined to take her away… forever. I watched her die a hundred different deaths, each time hoping it was so quick that she felt no pain. Sometimes they weren’t quick though, sometimes they were slow and agonizing and horrifying. At least until I rewound time, Chloe would be okay again, her pain forgotten by all but me. Sometimes I’d be her hero, sometimes I’d just have to change a tiny tiny thing that no one would notice and her fate would change for that ultimate second. And she would live, to die another day. But I’d be there.

As much as leaving hurt, I knew I had to do it. She was so angry, so hurt. I wouldn’t let her come with me, told her not to visit me, and that I never wanted to see her again. Hardest thing I’ve ever done, throwing away that love was the bitterest pill to swallow. As I was leaving, for good measure I said, “I just thought you’d understand Chloe. School is over, we’re just growing in different directions.”

She smirked and with a bitter laugh said, “All I seem to be doing these days is understanding. Now get the fuck out, Max.”

I recalled myself from the memory; I’d deserved her words. As much pain I caused – the both of us, I’d do again. Chloe Price hasn’t died once in four years. She’s made it easy to keep tabs on her. After I left, she finally moved out to LA, without Rachel, without me. She started modeling, in Rachel’s memory no doubt. To pay the bills. Who knows why she really started, whatever reason she’s grown quite successful and gained a large following across the world. The foul-mouthed model with tattoos and blue hair. But seeing Chloe in fashion spreads vs. real life was so very different. On a magazine cover, she could pretend Chloe was half world away. Having to rush out of your favorite coffee shop because the only girl you’ve ever loved comes storming in seeking refuge from Chicago’s bitter winter weather? It’s so much harder to pretend she doesn’t exist then, that she’s some distant blue haired memory.

I go to a bar that night. After I’m thoroughly sloshed, I search. My eyes lock on some rugged looking hipster with a bun and a beard. Typical. He’ll do. 

We make it back to my place by 2:45 am. He’s asleep by 3:30. I lay awake for another hour contemplating, he doesn’t mean anything. Just a distraction. A distraction from who and what I really want. He was sweet but we won’t meet again. Brushing his hair from his face, the night lights of Chicago shining on his face, I lightly kiss his temple. I roll over onto my back and my eyes focus on a salt stain on the ceiling. I lay there staring at it until I'm asleep. 

I’m awakened by the sound of… banging? Someone is knocking on my door, I realize belatedly. Still naked, I grab Teddy or was it Tommy’s flannel from the floor and pull it around my body. Blearily making my way to the door, I open it, rubbing my eyes to find Chloe Price standing on the other side of it. Once my brain catches up with my eyes, I pull my body behind the door, realizing my state of undress. 

The small world I've built is starting to collapse in on itself. Crumble a little. Like the salt stain on my ceiling, I can ignore it. But it's still there, decaying a little bit more and more. One day I’ll wake up to a caved in ceiling or get hit by a bus or somebody will mug me and shoot me dead. But instead, Chloe Price is here. At my front door. Her sudden presence made something inside me break and come back together. She’s a beautiful salt stain. But we’ll crush each other given the chance. Such a beautiful salt stain.

“Chloe?! Whh – Wwhhat are you doing here?” 

Her eyebrows knit together, and she sniffs, “So it was you rushing out of that coffee shop yesterday.” She looks down, noticing I’m wearing nothing but a button down. Then her eyes focus on something above my shoulder. I turn around, to see a naked Teddy-Tommy searching for his clothes. He’s falls back on the bed when he can’t find his shirt, stretching a sock in the air.

“He’s cute, Max.”

“I—uh I, he’s wait – Chloe… What are you doing here?”

She looks up, the morning light from behind me catching in her eyes, “I don’t know. I looked you up. I was curious. You’re a pretty popular photographer here in Chicago. I just felt -- I just had to see you.”

She smiles a sad smile, “You meant a lot to me once, it’s a hard thing forget. Feelings. Hmph. I loved you – love you. Even now.” She reaches out to touch my cheek with her index finger then lightly with her thumb. She tilts her head as if in thought, “I’ll see you around, Max.” Turning on her heel, Chloe walks back down hall, exiting Max’s building.

Max closed the door still holding her cheek. Tommy-Teddy tried to get her number but she let him know she didn’t think that was a great idea. They had nice night. Nothing more. Nothing less. As she let TEDDY out the door, across town, Chloe Price was dying her last death as the L’s Red line derailed off its tracks and into Chicago’s streets. Max mourned her first love along with the rest of the world. “She wanted to remember everything because it was the first time. Later she remembered everything because it was the only time.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't really sure where I was going with this, I wasn't even planning on writing a fic about these two. But whatever, I opened a word doc and here it is. Also I don't have a beta, and I'm absolute shit with grammar. So sorry about that guys! Also last line that is in quotes, is taken from one of my fav books called Far From You. It's dope. If y'all wanna check that out. AND if you wanna you can totes find me on tumblr at, https://www.tumblr.com/blog/stolenteapots


End file.
